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==Modern meaning in the physical sciences==
==Modern meaning in the physical sciences==
[[Image:Light dispersion conceptual.png|right|frame|dispersion of light]]
In the 17th century the word ''spectrum'' was introduced into [[optics]], referring to the range of colors observed when white light was dispersed through a prism. Soon the term referred to a plot of light intensity or power as a function of [[frequency]] or [[wavelength]], also known as a [[spectral density]].
In the 17th century the word ''spectrum'' was introduced into [[optics]], referring to the range of colors observed when white light was dispersed through a prism. Soon the term referred to a plot of light intensity or power as a function of [[frequency]] or [[wavelength]], also known as a [[spectral density]].
